180 likes | 408 Views
3 rd International Meet on Adoption 19 th – 20 th February. CHILD PROTECTION MECHANISMS IN INDIA. Ministry of Women & Child Development Government of India. Towards a new dawn. STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION. CONTEXT India’s Children
E N D
3rd International Meet on Adoption 19th – 20th February CHILD PROTECTION MECHANISMS IN INDIA Ministry of Women & Child Development Government of India Towards a new dawn
STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION • CONTEXT • India’s Children • Constitutional OBLIGATIONS & International commitments • INITIATIVES FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN – FOCUS JUVENILE JUSTICE (CARE & PROTECTION OF CHILDREN) ACT, 2000 • INTEGRATED CHILD PROTECTION SCHEME • Creating a safety net for protection of CHILDREN • OBJECTIVES & PRINCIPLES • Components & Structures • FOCUS AREAS Towards a new dawn
Child Population Largest child population in the world More than 1/3 of country’s population (around 440 million) < 18 yrs Set to be the youngest population in the world by 2020 CONTEXT: INDIA’S CHILDREN Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT: INDIA’S CHILDREN Governance Structure • Federal • Included in the Concurrent list • Policies, legislation & programmes for children framed by National & States/ Union Territories (UTs) level governments • Implementation by States/UTs & Civil Society • Independent Ministry of Women & Child Development created in 2006 • mandate - focus exclusively on addressing exclusive issues & needs of nearly 70% of the population Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT : constitutional OBLIGATIONS Constitution of India guarantees • Right to Equality • Right to life • Free and compulsory education between the age of six to fourteen years • Protection from: • Trafficking & forced labour • Employment in factory or mine or any other hazardous employment • Abuse, exploitation & moral and material abandonment Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT : international COMMITMENTS TO CHILDREN International Commitments • Ratification of United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) – 1992 • 2000- Optional Protocols on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution & Child Pornography & the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict • Ratification of Hague Convention on Protection of Children & Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption in 2003 • Other International Covenants & Regional agreements (SAARC) Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT: POLICY INITIATIVES FOR CHILD PROTECTION • 1974: National Policy for Children • ‘ efforts would be directed to strengthen family ties so that full potentialities of growth of children are realised within the normal family ‘ • Being reviewed to better address emerging needs & issues • 2004: National Charter for Children, 2004 • Reiterates India’s commitment ‘to strengthen families & undertake measures to ensure that children without families are either placed for adoption, preferably intra-country adoption, or foster care or any other family substitute services’ • 2005: National Plan of Action for Children • ‘To give priority for non-institutional services for the rehabilitation of children by restoring them to their families and ensuring their reintegration into the home and community, or through foster care sponsorship, adoption, giving primary consideration to the best interest of the child’ • 2011: Guidelines Governing the Adoption of Children Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT: LEGISLATIONS FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN • Several issue specific legislations introduced – • Trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation • Child Labour • Gender biased sex selection • Child marriage • Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 • To provide justice, & rehabilitation services for children in difficult circumstances • Focus on non-institutional care for orphan, abandoned & surrendered children • Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 • Establishes Commissions for Protection of Child Rights at National & State level • Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act, 2009 • Protection of children from Sexual Offences, Act 2012 • Recent Milestones Towards a new dawn
CONTEXT: PROGRAMMES INITIATED Issue specific programmes – • Institutional care for children in need of care & protection & children in conflict with law • Homes for facilitating adoption of orphan, abandoned surrendered children - age 0-6 years • Drop in centres for street children • Prevention of trafficking • Mainstreaming of working children • Programmes for the girl child • day care services for children of working mothers in the unorganised sector • Non- institutional care Towards a new dawn
FEBRUARY 2009 NEED TO ESTABLISH AN INTEGRATED & DEDICATED SYSTEM FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN Introduction of THE INTEGRATED CHILD PROTECTION SCHEME (ICPS) Towards a new dawn
ICPS: OBJECTIVES & PRINCIPLES • Enhance financial & technical support for effective implementation of Child Protection policies & legislation • Prevent situations that lead to abuse & exploitation of children • Provide safe and secure environment for children in conflict /contact with law & children in need of care & protection • Create a safety net of Service Delivery Structures at National, State & District level with a cadre of trained personnel working exclusively on Child Protection • Provide a range of need based services for each child • Shift focus from Institutional to Family based care • Develop partnership between Government & Civil Society • Convergence of services • Health, Education, Sanitation etc. Based on best interest of the child Towards a new dawn
ICPS: SALIENT FEATURES • DEDICATED Structures for Protection of Children • National: Central Project Support Unit, headed by Joint Secretary of GOI • State • State Child Protection Societies - 32 • State Adoption Resource Agencies - 25 • District:DistrictChild Protection Societies - 568 • Statutory Bodies in each district • Children in need of care & protection - 617 (240) • Children in conflict with law - 607 (211) • Over 10,000 Child Protection Personnel in place Towards a new dawn
ICPS: SALIENT FEATURES Care, Support & Rehabilitation Services • Emergency outreach service through a 24 hour dedicated phone helpline 1098 - Childline services in 267 locations • Open Shelters - community based safe spaces for children in need in urban and semi-urban areas – 163 • Family based Non - Institutional care: • Adoption • Strengthening of Central Adoption Resource Agency • 223 specialised adoption agencies supported • CARINGS in place • Sponsorship – Guidelines piloted & finalised • Foster Care Aim - to strengthen family and community based care & protection Towards a new dawn
ICPS: SALIENT FEATURES Aim - to ensure a continuum of care based on minimum standards Care, Support & Rehabilitation Services • Institutional Services: • Various types of Homes for children – more than a 1000 homes supported • Specialized services for children with special needs • After Care Program • Guidelines finalised for handholding children transiting from institutions to mainstream society Towards a new dawn
ICPS: FOCUS AREAS • Mapping vulnerabilities of children & available initiatives/resources • District wise Need Assessments & Protection Plans • Upgrading existing Protection infrastructure • Ensure minimum standards of care • Creating facilities for rehabilitation • In hard to reach areas • To prevent & address issues such as unsafe migration & trafficking • Strengthening community & family based care • Sensitisation & Capacity Building • Awareness Generation & Advocacy Protection & Rehabilitation based on individual care plans for every child accessing services Towards a new dawn
ICPS: FOCUS AREAS • Systematization of monitoring mechanisms • E – Governance • Real-time data on children accessing services • data on availability & quality of services • Carings to facilitate adoption processes • Five tier Monitoring system - village level & above • Inspection Committees, Management Committees & Children’s Committees for institutions • Facilitating restoration of missing children through web based system • Strengthening knowledge-base through research and documentation • Webpage - http://wcd.nic.in/icpsmon/home1.aspx Towards a new dawn
THANK YOU Towards a new dawn
ICPS: Working together to ensure a protective environment for children Ministry of Women and Child Development Central Project Support Unit State Child Protection Societies Childline India Foundation NIPCCD CARA SPSU SARA Regional Centres Partner Agencies Regional Centres DCPS NGOs CWCs & JJBs State Govt. GOVT Institutions SAA Village & block level Child Protection committees